The Commission on Human Rights (CHR) has urged the government to “equip parents with the necessary tools and means so children are raised in a safe environment where their physical, mental and psychosocial health are nurtured.”

This was stressed by the CHR as it lauded the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the rescue of about 90,000 minors engaged in child labor the past four years.

The minors were rescued since DOLE began its child laborers profiling initiative in 2018 through its Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns (BWSC), the CHR said through Executive Director Jacqueline Ann de Guia.

With the database, DOLE was able to detail the demographic as well as appropriate services and interventions that are necessary to save a child from harmful labor or economic activity, De Guia said.

She said that DOLE has collected information on 454,520 child workers across the country. A total of 105,826 has been provided with government assistance on health and education, while their parents also received livelihood amelioration, she added.

"CHR commends DOLE for the evidence-based and child-centered approach to address a pressing child rights issue," De Guia said.

Citing data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), De Guia said that there is already a 70 percent decline in the number of child laborers in 2020 compared to 2011. With 2.1 million child laborers a decade ago, there are only 596,900 left in 2020, she said.

"Ending child labor requires strong political will from our leaders and harmonized efforts among key sectors,” she stressed.